The HEALTH : October 2019 | Page 4

The HealTH | OctOber, 2019 04 CurrenT News Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok explaining on how oil palm is the most productive and versatile oil crop. Minister of Primary Industries launched The Health Plus, an MPOB publication which captures an array of articles highlighting the health benefi ts of palm oil. MPOB launches its 39th POFP Health Plus, an MPOB pu blication highlights the health benefi ts of palm oil O n Sept 23, over 34 participants from 19 countries around the globe participated in the 39th Palm Oil Familiarisation Programme (POFP 2019). Th is programme was organ- ised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) and supported by the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) under the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs. Th e programme continues to be a platform whereby knowledge and latest developments of the oil palm industry as well as the vari- ous advancements in palm oil research and development are shared among participants. Present at the opening ceremony were Minister of Primary industries Teresa Kok, Dato Dr Tan Yew Chong, Secretary general Ministry of Primary industries, MPOB Director-general, Dr Ahmad Parveez ghulam Kadir and Dato Bala Chandran Tharman, undersecretary international Cooperation and Development Division, Ministry of Foreign Aff airs. Teresa stated in her opening address that the world needs to understand that oil palm is the most productive and sustainable oil crop, (From left) Dato Bala Chandran Tharman, undersecretary International Cooperation and Development Division, Ministry of Foreign aff airs; Tan Sri Dato Seri Mohd Bakke Salleh, Chairman of MPOB; Teresa Kok, Minister of Primary Industries; Dato Dr Tan Yew Chong, Secretary General Ministry of Primary Industries; and Dr ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir, MPOB Director-General. with a high nutritional value. According to her, palm oil is very versatile and has always been the manufacturers’ preferred choice when it comes to product food formulation. Also, a total of 72.88 million tonnes of palm oil were produced globally in 2018, representing about 32 per cent of the world’s production of oils and fats. She said Malaysian palm oil registered 32.8 per cent of the world’s palm oil export market. “For Malaysia, these were achieved from utilising 5.85 million hectares of land, which accounts for a mere two per cent of the total 2.88 million hectares of global land area under oilseed crops last year. “Hence, palm oil has undeniably becomes part of the lives of the world’s population in many ways than we can imagine,” she said. At the event, the Minister of Primary industries also launched Th e Health Plus, an MPOB publication which captures an array of articles highlighting the health benefi ts of palm oil. Th is publication is available in three languages - Bahasa Melayu, english and Chinese - published in conjunction with the World Heart Day on Sept 29, 2019. — Th e Health